Technical Assistance

Workshop | Memphis, TN

November 9, 2023
Presenter

Cheyton Pendley

Workforce Program Analyst

Delta Regional Authority
OVERVIEW

Funding Opportunity

Award Ceiling: $450,000

Award Floor: $50,000

Technical Assistance

• Pre-Award Technical Assistance Workshop

• Virtual TA Workshop | Thursday, Nov. 16 at 2:00 PM CST

• Virtual Office Hours with 

DRA Workforce Team

• Post-Award Technical Assistance
Application 

Submission

 Applications must be submitted via the 

online portal, no later than Thursday, 

December 21, 2023 at 11:59 PM Central 

Time.

 LINK: https://dra.communityforce.com/Logi

n.aspx

 DRA will not accept hardcopy or 

email submissions.

 Anticipated start date will be

April or May 2024.
Delta 

Workforce

Grant 

Program

PROGRAM PURPOSE

GOAL

“...create a more vibrant economic future 

for the Delta region by expanding

recruitment, training and retaining career

opportunities, aligning workforce, 

educational, and economic development

strategies; creating sustainable talent

pipelines, establishing or enhancing

locally/regionally significant public-private

partnerships, and

supporting enhanced workforce 

productivity through

investments in innovative

programming.”
Program 

Description

This program is designed to 

support projects that:

1. Develop or enhance cross-sector 

partnerships.

2. Deliver specific workforce services

meeting identified local or regional

needs.

3. Create or expand workforce training 

programs addressing high quality 

employment opportunities.

4. Support the delivery of quality, 

innovative training and workforce 

services.
DRA's

Strategic

Investment

Goals

Applications must address one or 

more of these goals:

• Invest in Public Infrastructure

• Nurture Local Workforce Ecosystems

• Promote Business Growth and 

Entrepreneurship

• Support Community Place-Making and 

Capacity-Building
DWP 

Investment 

Priorities

INVESTMENT PRIORITIES

• Supporting Industry-Led

Workforce Training

• Building Collaborative Talent Pipelines

• Supporting or Enhancing

Industry Clusters

• Accelerating Local or

Regional Economic 

Development
2019 Project Example

• Black River Technical College

• CDL Program

Supporting 

Industry-Led 

Workforce Training

DWP BRTC CDL Program
Building

Collaborative 

Talent Pipelines

2021 Project Example

• Electrical Vehicle

Technology Program

Tennessee College of 

Applied Technology – Covington


Supporting or 

Enhancing 

Industry 

Clusters

2020 Project Example

Missouri State University – West 

Plains 

• Training individuals for 

careers in manufacturing


Accelerating 

Local or 

Regional 

Economic 

Development

2021 Project Example

Arkansas Rural Health 

Partnership

• Boosting Delta nurse 

numbers through training, 

recruitment, and retention by 

partners for Delta resident 

care
Period of 

Performance

• You may determine the timeperiod for your project. However, 

the period of performance shall not 

exceed twenty-four (24) months.

• Period of performance begins once 

the Notice to Proceed is received.

• This period includes all necessary 

implementation and 

start-up activities.
Eligible

Participants

•New entrants to the 

workforce

•Dislocated workers

•Incumbent workers
Eligible

Activities

• Training and Work-Based 

Learning Models

•Other Employment Related 

Activities

•Innovative Service Delivery 

Strategies

• Participant Support Services • Employer Support Services • Purchasing Equipment and 

Making Renovations
Cost Sharing & 

Matching

Applicants must demonstrate 

a TEN percent cost share 

(cash or in-kind) match at 

minimum, by non - DRA 

sources.

Allowable funding sources are 

private, non-federal, other 

federal*, or a combination of 

sources.

*Some federal entities 

have specific funding

limitations on federal 

dollars.
Cost Sharing & 

Matching

Applicants located in/serving 

distressed counties or 

parishes DO NOT need to 

demonstrate a match of any 

kind.
Project Team

*ANY eligible member of a project

team may serve as 

the applicant.

• It is NOT a requirement 

for all members of a project team 

to be located within the DRA 

region, however one (1) must be 

located within the Region.

• Projects MUST provide benefits to 

the communities served within 

the DRA region.
• Applicants must demonstrate 

collaboration/engagement with at 

least one employer/industry partner.

• Applicants must demonstrate that 

they are serving eligible participants 

who live and work in the DRA Region.

Application Requirements
Application Requirements

• Applicants may train for jobs outside 

the DRA Region, 

but must clearly demonstrate

successful employment will not require

relocation outside of the DRA Region.

• Applicants must demonstrate evidence of 

high-growth industries and a demand for 

skilled workers local or regionally.
Scoring Criteria

1. Project Information – 60 Points

2. Anticipated Project Outcomes – 6 Points

3. Work Plan – 16 Points

4. Evidence of Local Demand/Employer Letters – 15 Points

5. Funding Information – 3 Points
Project Information 

60 Points

Project Description – 25 Points

Project Rationale – 25 Points

Project Team and Relevant Experience – 5 

Points

Local and Regional Collaboration – 5 Points

Project 

Information
Project 

Description

25 Points

•Description of Project Service

Area and Community Needs –

7 Points

• Project Design – 15 Points

•Demonstration of Inclusion in

Persistent Poverty

County/Parish – 3 Points
Project 

Rationale

25 Points

• Description of Workforce Needs –

12 Points

• Alignment with DRA’s

Strategic Investment Goals – 3

Points

• Alignment with DWP Investment 

Priorities, Objectives, and

Funding Principles – 7 Points

• Alignment with Local Workforce or 

Economic Development Priorities –

3 Points
Project 

Team and 

Relevant 

Experience 5 Points

• Demonstration of Local and 

Regional Partnerships–3 Points

• Demonstration of 

Partnership(s) with HBCU 

and/or Federally Recognized 

Tribe(s) –2 Points

Local and Regional 

Collaboration
Anticipated 

Project 

Outcomes 6 Points

Demonstration of Realistic and 

Attainable Outcomes

Demonstration of Specific and 

Relevant Outcomes
Reporting Anticipating 

Outcomes

Anticipated Project Outcomes, at a 

minimum MUST include:

 Jobs Retained

 Jobs Created

 Individuals Trained

 Number of Communities Served
Work Plan

16 Points Project Deliverables –

 12 Points

Project Timeline –

 4 Points
Evidence of Workforce

Demand/Employer Needs/

Letters - 15 Points

• Demonstration of

Workforce Demand from

Local/Regional Employers – 5 Points

• Evidence of Employer

Engagement – 10 Points
• Funding Information – 3 Points

• Budget/Budget Narrative 

Alignment – 3 Points
Requested 

Attachments

• Employer Letter(s)

• Verification of Matching Funds

• Key Staff Resumes

•Job Descriptions (if applicable)
Application Portal

• Applications will be pre-screened to determine eligibility and completeness, and 

you will be notified during the process of request or explanations needed to clarify 

questions that DRA may have, concerning your application.

• Ensure that the contact person on the application has a current information and 

can make the necessary changes to the application.

• Make sure that all parts of your application are complete and that all your responses 

are placed in the specific sections, for that response.

• Before submitting application/proposal please

print out a copy of your complete application.
Application Review

• Applications will be pre-screened to determine eligibility and

completeness.

• Applications are reviewed by a panel and scored individually against

the elements in the FOA Section F.

• The total number of grants awarded will depend upon the number of

competitive applications and the amounts requested.
Questions?